The Bentley Mulsanne has stood tall as the flag bearer of British elegance, refinement and luxury since it was first unveiled in 2009. The bigger, more mature brother of the Continental has managed to avoid being tarnished with the same flashy image as its sibling, mainly due to the fact that most Mulsanne drivers (chauffeured or otherwise) are quite content with sampling the finer things in life without the high-octane bells and whistles attached. Therefore, some would say that chopping the top off of such a pillar of British style and respectability would be akin to decapitating Nelson’s column.

“Why not”? say Bentley. Bereft of a range-topping convertible since the departure of the Azure, Bentley have announced their intention to plug that gap by releasing images of a Mulsanne Convertible Concept. Hotly tipped for production, and hailed by Bentley as “the world’s most elegant and sophisticated convertible”, the drop-top will carry over much of the saloon’s well-crafted image. Just one example is the cabin design, apparently inspired by luxurious, high-performance power boats, not that these images give away too many secrets. We can gather that the Mulsanne Convertible Concept features a soft-top roof, mirroring Bentley convertibles of old like the Corniche and the Azure and in terms of design it sticks to the same shapely figure as the saloon, besides those extended doors.

Described by Bentley as “a glimpse into the potential future” of the their flagship model, don’t be surprised to see the Mulsanne Convertible Concept transform from mere ‘potential’ into a very real challenger to the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé in the not too distant future.